Film Review: The Girl on the Train
There are a few things about this version of The Girl on the Train that I like. First and foremost is the idea of just letting Emily Blunt play full-on, […]
Interview with Flamingo, Chicago’s Beloved Big Red Sculpture
Hi, Flamingo. Thanks for taking the time to talk to me today. Happy to be here. Tell me a little bit about “here.” How is it you came to be in Chicago? […]
Life, Death and Memory in A Life Extra Ordinary at The Gift
Melissa Ross’ new play, A Life Extra Ordinary, now receiving its world premiere at The Gift Theatre, presents audiences with a collection of moments from one woman’s life, shared by […]
Phantom Broadcast releases new “Steampunk” single
October leaves are rustling in the trees this Friday as The Phantom Broadcast’s new single “Steampunk” swings into the air. With rhythm that’s smooth yet edgy, it’s got a beat that’s subtly […]
In Red Velvet, A Black Actor Plays Othello, Shocks 19th Century London
England was more advanced than the U.S. in abolishing slavery. The UK passed the Slavery Abolition Act in 1833 but England had abolished it decades earlier. But that doesn’t mean […]
Christine and the Queens at the Vic Theatre: Héloïse Letissier Boasts Her Inner Man
A Tuesday night at the Vic Theatre, not quite packed, but close enough, and Christine and the Queens is beginning its conquest of the United States with this Chicago stop, and with […]
Ear Taxi Festival Day 1: Chicago’s Lively, Contemporary Sounds Come to Harris Theater
Nearly 400 enthusiastic admirers enjoyed day one of the Ear Taxi Festival (ETF) showcasing Chicago’s rich contemporary classical music scene. Wednesday’s excellent concerts were the first of six days devoted […]
Third Coast Mixtape No. 6: Songs in the Key of Love
Anyone who really knows me would be a little surprised by the “love songs” theme I chose for this week. I’ve always taken on the role of love cynic/critic/firm believer […]
Your Chicago Curated Weekend: 10/6 -10/9
It’s the scariest month of the year, where everything seems a little more sinister. The ghouls are coming out and doing everything they can to take you away. Why yes, […]
Watch Chance the Rapper in Kit Kat’s Weird New Halloween Commercial
Seemingly out of nowhere, this week Kit Kat teased in a tweet that Chance the Rapper would be the star of their new Halloween television commercial. Yesterday, they made good […]
Fresh Local Lit: “Tabernacle for Drinkers” from Iggy Aloysius’ Fishhead. Republic of Want
Fishhead. Republic of Want is an experimental novel by Ignatius Valentine Aloysius. It’s a layered metafictional work in the style of Cervantes and Borges, where Fate (Destiny) is the story’s overarching narrator, […]
Steppenwolf’s Visiting Edna: Despite the Charm of Television, the Story Doesn’t Quite Gel
On the surface, Visiting Edna, the new David Rabe play at Steppenwolf Theatre, is a story of aging Edna, beset by diabetes, arthritis, congestive heart failure and cancer. Plus she’s […]